Care for the poor.

 

174. Care for the poor and indigent. The writings in the various religions of God are pretty clear on how we need to care for one another. We need to take care of those around us, the poor, the widows, the orphans, the people in need: In the Bahá’í Faith special consideration is taken for those people without the proper means of livelihood to insure a better life and living conditions for all. Baha’i Faith: “They must do their utmost to extend at all times the helping hand to the poor, the sick, the disabled, the orphan, the widow, irrespective of color, caste, and creed.” 

(Bahá’í Faith, Compilations, NSA USA – Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities) 

     This teaching is also strongly reflected in the writings of the Holy Bible.  Judaism: Exodus 22:22 “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.” Deuteronomy 15:7 “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which The LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:” Deuteronomy 15:11 “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.” Psalms 41:1 “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.” Proverbs 21:13 “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” Proverbs 29:7 “The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.” Zechariah 7:10 “And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.”  Christianity: Luke 6:20 “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.” Luke 14:13 “When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:” Matthew 19:21 “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” 2 Corinthians 9:9 “(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.” Galatians 2:10 “We should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.” James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 2:14 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” 2:15 “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,” 2:16 “And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” 1 John 3:17 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”  

 ISLAM: 177. “It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces toward East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah (God) and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing.”  

         (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2)  

Islam: 36. “Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him: and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: for Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;” 

         (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   4) 

“The Prophet said, ‘Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set free the captives.’” 

        (Islam, Hadith, Bukhari Vol 7, Book 70, # 552) 

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 37. “Let no thought of Angra Mainyu (the devil) ever infect thee, so that thou shouldest indulge in evil lusts, make derision and idolatry, and shut (to the poor) the door of thy house.” 

        (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “(The poor) should be supported for a long time from the interest on the capital and from the receipts of the income. 3. Charity should be extended towards those among men, who are worthy of being taken care of. In like manner one should be charitable to the poor of superior worth, who are, for years together, without (proper) sustenance. People of evil religions, who may be in danger of suffering from hunger, thirst, and cold, should be saved from these (hardships). Also Margarzani sinners (i.e. those deserving of capital punishment), who may be in dread of religious justice and be unable to help themselves, should be protected. As far as possible one should not partake of food till after feeding the needy. Moreover it is proper for one to be liberal towards the creatures, who, from a religious point, are under his control And other good men, who are the reciters of the Avesta and are the doers of good deeds, should be given the means of sustenance.”

 HINDUISM: “Teach thee kindness, hungry and the poor to feed,” 

        (Hindu, Mababharata (R. Dutt, abridged tr)) 

 Hinduism: “Fourfold are our human duties: first to study holy lore, Then to live as good householders, feed the hungry at our door, Then to pass our clays in penance, last to fix our thoughts above, But the final goal of virtue, it is Truth and deathless Love!” 

          (Hindu, Mababharata (R. Dutt,  abridged tr)) 

 Hinduism: 5. “Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eye upon a longer pathway.” “Bounteous is he who gives unto the beggar who comes to him in want of food and feeble.”  

        (Hindu Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 10)

 BUDDHISM: “The Awakening of Faith Scripture teaches how disciples should practice charity. It says: ‘If persons should come to them and ask for something, they should as far as their means allow, supply it ungrudgingly and thus make them happy. If they see people threatened with danger, they should try every means for rescuing them and restore them to a feeling of safety. If people come to them desiring instruction in the Dharma, they should, as far as they are acquainted with it and according to their discretion, deliver discourses upon religious themes. And when they are performing these acts of charity, let them not cherish any desire for fame or advantage, nor covet any earthly reward. Thinking only of the benefits and blessings that are to be mutually shared, let them aspire for the most excellent, the most perfect wisdom.” (Buddha, Diamond Sutra)

 Buddhism: “Thus free from all attachments to individual objects and ideas, their minds are free to consider ways of benefitting and giving happiness to others, even to all sentient beings To the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas the ideal of charity is shown in the self-yielding.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 Buddhism: “The true Samana who is seeking the way to Brahma, (God) let him have thoughts of love everywhere throughout the whole world pervading with thoughts of love far reaching, beyond measure, all embracing. Regard all with mind set free and filled with deep felt love. this is the way to a state of union with Brahma. Be filled with thoughts of (giving), pity, sympathy and equanimity far reaching beyond measure all embracing even for all things that have form or life with deep felt pity, sympathy and equanimity not one is set aside. 

    He will not be filled with anger or malice, his mind will be pure free of lust, he will have self mastery he will be free from cares, and this one at death at the dissolution of his body will become united with Brahma who is of the same condition.” (Buddha, Tevigga Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Practice kindness and compassion on all alike with no discrimination what-so-ever.” “Buddha, Surangama Sutra) 

Sabeanism: “To each according to the works of his hands It is awarded.” “Every man who toiled And was long-suffering shall come and take with both hands, But he who did not toil nor endure, Standeth empty in the House of Dues.” “He will seek but will not find, And ask, but naught will be given him, Because he had in his hand and gave not,” Sloth was his way of life in this world, he gained nothing for the afterlife and left nothing in the world. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 123) 

Sabeanism: “Blessed and praised be Life Who is filled with compassion for these souls. Praised be Thou, my Lord, Manda-d-Hiia, (God, Haiyi) For thou raisest up these souls” “Thou a Lord who art all mercy.

(Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 35 and 70) 

Sabeanism: “Look upon me with Your eyes and pity me in Your heart! Support me with Your strength, clothe me with Your glory, cover me with Your light. Cut me not off from Yourself! And put far from me fear, dread and terror.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 410) 

 BABI RELIGION: “Broadly regarded, Bábísm may be defined as a creed of charity, and almost of common humanity. Brotherly love, kindness to children, courtesy combined with dignity, sociability, hospitality, freedom from bigotry, friendliness even to Christians, are included in its tenets.”

    “Each of them took up all occupation — it is a principle of their faith that each man must work — and they appeared to live as the other Muslims, with this single difference that they never ceased to give an example of charity and gentleness. 

         (Moojan Momen, The Babi  and Baha’i Religions, pp. 46 and 198) 

 Babi Religion: “I am bidden by Him to instill into men’s hearts the ennobling principles of charity and love, and to refrain from all unnecessary violence. My aim and that of my companions is, and ever will be, to serve our sovereign loyally and to be the well-wishers of his people.” 

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 553) 

BAHA’I FAITH: “Every human creature is the servant of God. All have been created and reared by the power and favor of God; all have been blessed with the bounties of the same Sun of divine truth; all have quaffed from the fountain of the infinite mercy of God; and all in His estimation and love are equal as servants. He is beneficent and kind to all. Therefore, no one should glorify himself over another; no one should manifest pride or superiority toward another; no one should look upon another with scorn and contempt; and no one should deprive or oppress a fellow creature.” “You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant.” 

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 93) 

Baha’i Faith: “Oh, friends of God! If ye will trust in the Word of God and be strong; if ye will follow the precepts of Bahá’u’lláh to tend the sick, raise the fallen, care for the poor and needy, give shelter to the destitute, protect the oppressed, comfort the sorrowful and love the world of humanity with all your hearts, then I say unto you that ere long this meeting-place will see a wonderful harvest. Day by day each member will advance and become more and more spiritual.” 

        (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 73) 

Baha’i Faith: “The arrangements of the circumstances of the people must be such that poverty shall disappear, and that every one as far as possible, according to his position and rank, shall be comfortable. Whilst the nobles and others in high rank are in easy circumstances, the poor also should be able to get their daily food and not be brought to the extremities of hunger.” 

          (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 29) 

Baha’i Faith: 30. “O SON OF MAN!” “Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is My face; be then abashed before Me.” 

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)